The Effect of Tourist Guides' Storytelling Performances on Tour Satisfaction: An Application on Tourists Visiting the Ancient City of Ephesus

Abstract

Storytelling can be employed as an effective method to increase tour satisfaction with its emotional interaction and imagination-stimulating features. For visitors, the destination can become more understandable and memorable. One of the fundamental phenomena in the tourism industry is the tour satisfaction experienced by the guests. The study aims to reveal the effect of the storytelling performance of tour guides on tour satisfaction. It was implemented in the Ephesus Ancient City in the Selçuk district of İzmir Province, Türkiye. 25 local tourists were interviewed. The data were subjected to content analysis. Open and latent content coding was applied and five main themes-subthemes were created. According to the results, storytelling performance positively affects tour satisfaction experienced by tourists. It was concluded that storytelling plays a critical role regarding the attractiveness of the destination and that the gestures and facial expressions used during the narration increase the memorability of the stories. It is advised that guides should pay special attention to this skill and the theoretical courses that candidates may require in the sector should be reviewed in the curriculum of universities.

Keywords

• Tourist Guidance
• Story
• Storytelling
• Tour Satisfaction
• Ephesus Ancient City

Ethical Statement

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Turist Rehberlerinin Hikâye Anlatım Performanslarının Tur Memnuniyeti Üzerindeki Etkisi: Efes Antik Kentini Ziyaret Eden Turistler Üzerinde Bir Uygulama

Abstract

Hikaye anlatımı duygusal etkileşim ve hayal gücünü canlandırma özellikleriyle tur memnuniyetini artırmada etkili bir yöntem olarak kullanılabilir. Çünkü ziyaretçiler için destinasyon veya ziyaret edilen eser daha anlaşılır ve akılda kalıcı hale gelebilir. Turizm endüstrisindeki en temel olgulardan biri de misafirlerin deneyimlediği tur memnuniyetidir. Araştırmanın amacı turist rehberlerinin hikâye anlatım performanslarının tur memnuniyeti üzerindeki etkisini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Çalışma Türkiye’nin İzmir İli, Selçuk ilçesindeki Efes Antik Kenti’nde uygulanmıştır. Efes Antik Kenti, bir liman kenti olması bakımından önemlidir. Çalışmada Efes Antik Kenti’ni ziyaret eden 25 yerel turist ile görüşülmüştür. Elde edilen veriler içerik analizine tabii tutulmuştur. Açık ve gizli içerik kodlaması uygulanmıştır ve uzman görüşleriyle birlikte beş ana tema ve alt temalar oluşturulmuştur. Sonuçlara göre, hikâye anlatım performansı turistlerin tecrübe ettiği tur memnuniyetini olumlu yönde etkilemektedir. Ayrıca, hikâye anlatımının destinasyonun çekiciliği açısından önemli bir rol oynadığı ve anlatım sırasında kullanılan jest ve mimiklerin hikâyelerin akılda kalıcılığını artırdığı belirlenmiştir. Sonuçlar, bu beceriye rehberlerin özel önem vermesi gerektiği göstermektedir. Dahası, rehberlik eğitimi sunan üniversitelerin ders müfredatında turist rehber adaylarının sektörde karşı karşıya kalabilecekleri teorik derslerin gözden geçirilerek hikaye anlatımı konusunda müfredatta düzenlemeye gidilmesi önerilmektedir.

Keywords

• Turist Rehberliği
• Hikâye
• Hikâye Anlatıcılığı
• Tur Memnuniyeti
• Efes Antik Kenti

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